According to the league’s transaction report, the Panthers hosted free agent defensive back Josh Hawkins as well as linebacker Greg Roberts and defensive tackle Mike Panasiuk for visits Tuesday.
Hawkins (5-foot-10, 190 pounds) came into the league in 2016 as an undrafted free agent signed by the Packers and has spent most of his time on practice squads for multiple teams. His most notable season was in 2017, when he totaled 38 tackles and six quarterback hits, playing 38% of defensive snaps for the Packers. He played sparingly in five games for the Panthers in 2018, all on special teams.
Roberts (6-foot-5, 258 pounds) is a second-year player but he might as well be considered a rookie, given that he spent his entire 2019 campaign on the Packers’ PUP list with an abdominal injury. In late July, Green Bay placed him on their reserve/COVID-19 list and released him shortly after.
Panasiuk (6-foot-4, 300 pounds) signed with the Raiders this offseason as an undrafted free agent out of Michigan State, but only spent training camp with the team before he was released on roster cut day. As a Spartan, Panasiuk totaled 95 tackles and five sacks on the interior defensive line, capping off his season with a big-man touchdown off of a tipped pass from his teammate (and brother).
The Panthers practice squad is currently full at 16 players, with RB Reggie Bonnafon on IR. If any of these three sign, somebody will need to be cut.
